Of Love and Promises
by Caz Malfoy
Summary: A short look at the lives of Harry and Draco post-Hogwarts, including more studying, teaching, kids and tragedy. * COMPLETE *
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros., own anything you may recognize. I do own Christina though.

Authors Notes: Again this is another rewrite of a story that had way too many mistakes to be allowed. This was the very first slash story, and I know it's not my best story (because it probably seems rushed), and if compared with True To Your Heart it's nothing. But this was the very first slash, so it has a special place in my heart, even if it isn't the best.

Please read and review, but don't leave any flames, as they are not appreciated.

Of Love and Promises

Chapter one

_London, England – July 2001_

The sun was shining brightly down on Diagon Alley as Harry James Potter stepped out of the jewellery store grinning broadly, even though his money bag was a lot less lighter than it had been when he entered the shop.

In three days time it would be his and Draco's fifth anniversary and he really wanted to make sure that this one memorable for the both of them.

He walked through the crowded street towards the ice cream parlour where Hermione and Ron were waiting for him. Draco hadn't been able to come, as he had a class at 'T.T.F', which was the Teachers Training Facility – basically a teacher's school. Harry found Ron and Hermione sitting at a table outside the parlour, waiting for him.

"Hey guys!" he said, as he approached his best friends, who had been together six years now.

Hermione looked up, "Harry!"

"Did you get what you wanted?" Ron asked, looking at Harry.

"Yeah," Harry replied, holding up a bag that was so tiny, it looked as though hardly anything would fit in it.

"Cool!" Ron said, as Harry slipped the bags into another one, which had 'Study Guides For Defense Against the Dark Arts' in, which were the required books for Harry's courses at the training facility.

They spent the rest of the morning enjoying the mid July sunshine and eating their way through most of the ice cream the shop had. As the clock struck twelve Hermione, who was in the middle of telling Harry about her Charms course, suddenly paused and coughed very unconvincingly trying to hide a giggle. 

Harry hadn't really been listening to what his friend was saying, but he instantly picked up on Hermione's rather pathetic attempt to hide her laughter.

"Hermione? What's -?" he began to ask, but he was cut of as a shadow fell on the table and a cool hand slid across his eyes.

"Guess who?" a sexy voice whispered in his ear.

Harry didn't respond to the question, instead he took the hand off his eyes and kissed the fingers.

"Hi, Draco," Hermione said, as Draco dumped his books and folder down on the table, and pulled up a chair next to Harry.

"Hey, Hermione, Ron," he paused, "Harry," he added, kissing his lover on the cheek.

"I thought you had a class," Ron said, sounding confused.

"Yeah, I did. It's finished. Professor Isaacs decided that we didn't need to know anymore on making cures for poisonous potions," he explained, picking up Harry's spoon and helping himself to his Ice Cream.

"Sounds interesting," Harry remarked sarcastically, putting his arm around Draco's shoulders.

"I can't believe that we're still taking classes for potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, charms and care of magical creatures. Three years after graduation."

"Well," Hermione said, matter-of-factly, "you didn't have to go into teacher training."

"Yeah I know!" Draco admitted, taking another bite of Harry's Ice cream.

"Hey!" he protested, Draco just grinned at him and shrugged. 

"But, I'm too lazy to be an Auror, or an Unspeakable, and I need a job so I thought, what the hell! Why not teach?"

"I'll second that!" Harry said, raising his spoon as if it was a champagne glass.

"Here, Here!" Ron chuckled, following suit and clinking his and Harry's spoons together, while Draco took a sip of Harry's milkshake.

*****

Harry was exhausted when he got home that night. They had spent all day hanging out down Diagon Alley, and it was more exhausting than it sounded. 

He pushed the door to his flat open, and clicked on the lights as he made his way to the kitchen to grab a bottle of Sunny Delight, he didn't really feel like anything else right now.

He threw himself down on the sofa. And after a minute or two of trying to find the remote, he clicked the television on. Restlessly he flicked through all the channels and, after discovering that there was nothing on the wizard channels, or the Muggle ones, he turned it off.

"I'm bored!" he told himself with a sigh as he sat back on the couch. Almost as if on cue, the phone suddenly rang. Even though the apartment was a wizard one Harry still liked to have certain Muggle things in it.

Harry pointed his wand at the phone, "Accio Phone!"

And the cordless handset flew into his outstretched hand.

"Hello?"

"Hello, yourself!"

"Oh, hi, Draco!"

"What's wrong? You sound fed up," Draco asked.

Harry sighed, "I'm bored."

"Well... Under normal circumstances, I would come over and we could find a way to get rid of the boredom but..." he paused, for dramatic effect. "I can't."

"That's not fair! Why not?"he asked, pouting even though he knew Draco couldn't see him.

"Stop pouting!"

"How - How-?" Harry stammered.

"Harry! I know you better than I know myself, of course I can tell when you're pouting."

"True," Harry remarked. "Anyway why can't you come over? I miss you."

"I miss you too. My mum's coming over with my aunt, probably to check up on me. Do you know, that she still calls me 'her baby'? I'm 21 for crying out loud!"

Harry laughed, "You are still her baby though."

"Hey!" Draco exclaimed, sounding offended. "Whose side are you on, anyway?"

"I don't take sides."

"Come on, you know you're on mine really," Draco said. There was a knock on the door in the background. "Mum's here. I've got to go."

"Ok, then. Tell your mum I said hi," Harry said, feeling disappointed that Draco had to go.

"I will do. I Love you," Draco added.

"I Love you, too. Bye."

"Bye."

******

_Beep, Beep, Beep..._

Harry rolled over in bed, groaned and sat up. He fumbled around on the bedside table for his alarm clock. When he managed to shut it off, he reached out for his glasses and slipped on the designer frames. He had long since got rid of the round ones he wore for the majority of his time at Hogwarts, and could now be seen sporting a pair of much thinner, and stylish ones. Yawning, Harry grabbed his dressing gown and made his way to the bathroom.

******

Harry was walking from his car, which was parked in the student parking lot, to the main teaching building. Books in one hand, and his mobile phone glued to his ear.

"Ok. So, I'll see you after class. Meet me at the water fountain in the courtyard," he paused. "I love you too, Draco. Bye."

He hung up and slid the phone into his pocket, as he made his way in to the lecture room and took his seat at the back next to Christina. 

Over the past year Harry, Draco, Ron and Hermione had all become firm friends with her.

"Hey, Harry."

"Hi, Christina. How are you?"

"I'm Cool. You?"

"Same."

This was all their conversation consisted of, because at that point their teacher walked through the door and began to give his lecture on the three Unforgivable curses.

"Today, we are going to do an in depth study of the three unforgivable curses. The first one we are going to look at is the most lethal of all," he paused. "Now, the killing curse requires a lot of magic behind it, as well as will power. Unfortunately, there is no spell or potion to block or reverse the spell. So it is perfectly understandable, that no one in written history has ever survived the curse, except one person. And we all know who he is so I'm not going to embarrass Mr. Potter by asking him about it," the professor cast a quick look at Harry, but quickly started his lecture again.

Harry was collecting his books and notes at the end of the lecture, when Professor Black called, "Mr. Potter. Could you please stay behind a minute?"

Harry made his way to the front of the class and followed the Professor through the door into his office.

"So, Harry. How are you?" his Godfather asked.

"I'm cool, Sirius," Harry replied looking at his watch anxiously.

"Don't worry, I won't keep you long," he said with a chuckle.

"It's just that I have to meet Draco outside soon."

"This will only take a second, I promise. How is Draco, by the way? Have you asked him to marry you yet?" 

"Sirius!" Harry said blushing.

"Sorry. I just think that you two make such a cute couple and you're perfect for each other. You should get married." Harry blushed even more. "Anyway, what I was going to tell you is, that there is a work experience program running at the moment. It allows students to study teachers working at Hogwarts. And they get a chance to teach a few classes themselves, and study properly, while getting paid at the same time. I think you will probably be the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher here. What, with all the stuff you know, and everything you've done over the years. So I think you should go on the program. What'd you think, Harry? Are you up for it?"

Harry thought about it for a minute and said, "Ok. I'll give it a go!"

"Good. I'll send an owl to Moony, and tell him. Say hi to Draco for me, will you?"

******

Draco was sat on a bench playing a game on his mobile phone. He looked up expectantly but Harry was nowhere in sight.

"Come on, Harry," he muttered under his breath.

"Are you waiting for someone?" 

Draco looked up, and found himself looking in to his boyfriend's deep emerald green eyes.

"There you are!" he said, pocketing his phone, standing up and putting his arms around Harry. "I was beginning to think you stood me up."

"Me? Stand you up? I couldn't do that," Harry replied with a chuckle, kissing Draco on the nose.

"Come on. Let's go. I'm starving."

*****

They were sat opposite each other in a Muggle restaurant called McDonalds, when Harry told Draco about the work experience thing.

"So, are you going then?" Draco asked, pinching one of Harry's chips.

"Yeah, I think I might. Do you mind?" he asked, looking nervous.

"Of course, I don't mind. Because I don't think I could stand a year at Hogwarts without you."

"Oh, good," Harry said, with a sigh of relied. Suddenly what Draco had said sunk in. "Wait a minute. What do you mean?"

Draco looked surprised for a moment, then something seemed to click, "Sirius didn't tell you? Honestly, Harry, did you think that they only ran work experiences for Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"Well... actually. Yeah!" Harry admitted. "So does that mean you're going too?" he asked hopefully.

Draco just nodded and smiled as Harry took Draco's hand in his across the table and Draco pinched another chip.

*******

Draco's flat was exactly the same as Harry's. Except the ex-Slytherin was a lot messier than his lover.

Harry was stood in the hallway looking at the photographs on Draco's unit. Draco walked over to where Harry was stood and handed him one of the cups of coffee he was carrying.

"Thanks!" Harry said, taking the cup off Draco and having a sip.

Draco slipped his free hand around Harry's waist and asked, "What's going on inside that head of yours?" _He looks worried about something, he thought to himself._

"Nothing. You know that," Harry teased.

"Don't joke, Harry. I know something's wrong," Draco said, more persistently this time.

"Draco, I promise, there's nothing wrong at all," to prove his point he kissed Draco reassuringly on the lips.

*****

Much later that night, or rather, early the next morning Harry woke up and found himself in very warm and conformable place. At first he didn't realize where he was, but then he turned over on his side and looked at his lovers slim, sexy body.

"He's so gorgeous," Harry thought out loud.

"You're gorgeous, too," Draco said sleepily, as he turned to face Harry. Harry was about to say something else but stopped as Draco's gentle breathing told Harry he had fallen asleep again.

An hour, or three, later Draco stirred in his sleep and reached out, trying to find Harry, but he wasn't in the bed. He groaned internally.

"Harry?" he called, hoping that last night hadn't all been a dream.

"Morning, sleepy head!" Harry said brightly as he came into Draco's bedroom carrying a tray with a cooked breakfast on.

"Hey! Food!" Draco exclaimed as Harry set down the tray, which had a plateful of fired eggs, bacon, sausages, beans and fried tomatoes, a glass of orange and a single red rose, to complete the romantic gesture. "Is this all for me?" he asked, picking up the rose and smelling it.

"Of course it is. Just part of my way of saying Happy Anniversary, love," he said kissing Draco's hair.

"Part of? What's the rest of it?" Draco asked.

"You'll see. You'll see," Harry replied grinning mischievously.

Draco gave up asking questions and decided to dig in to his breakfast. He lifted the napkin up, and gasped as he saw what it had been covering. Underneath was a small velvet red box.

"Harry? What-?" he stammered. Harry just smiled at him, and motioned for him to open it. With hands that were trembling slightly, he flipped open the box lid, revealing a silver band with two emeralds and a diamond on.

"Wow, Harry!" Draco whispered.

Now it was Harry's turn for his hands to tremble, as he took the box off of Draco and held his hand.

Harry took a deep breath. "Draco, I have loved you ever since we first met in Madame Malkins, ten years ago. Even though we went through all those years at Hogwarts like we did, I knew deep down in my heart that we would end up being together, and I want to be with you forever. So I guess what I'm trying to say is, Draco, will you marry me?"

"I - You - Me – Of-," Draco couldn't manage to the string the words together to answer Harry. Instead he just nodded his head, and he could feel the tears of joy trickling down his cheeks as Harry took the ring from the box and slid it on to Draco's ring finger, where it belonged.

Draco studied the ring on his hand for a moment, taking in how, when he turned his hand slightly, the light caught on the jewels reflecting beautifully, before turning his head and meeting Harry's lips in a fiery, passionate kiss.

Reluctantly Harry pulled away from the kiss and said, "Come on, hurry up and eat your breakfast. We're going out in an hour."

****

An hour later, when Draco had eaten his breakfast, and they had washed and changed, they Disapparated to The Leaky Cauldron.

As they walked down Diagon Alley, hand in hand, they started thinking about when to have the wedding, and who to invite, etc.

When they got to the Ice Cream parlour, which was their favourite meeting place, Draco went inside and ordered them some thing to eat. Even though he'd just had something to eat, he was hungry again, while Harry found a table outside. Two minutes later Draco returned carrying two sundaes.

"Which do you want? Chocolate or strawberry?"

"Strawberry."

"Good," Draco replied, setting Harry's sundae down in front of him. " 'Cause, I want the chocolate one."

They were almost done eating their sundaes when the rest of the group turned up.

"Finally!" Harry said, exasperated as Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Sirius and Christina all pulled up chairs at the table.

"All right, we're here. Now, what's so important that you wanted all of us here?" asked Sirius, although he had a feeling that he already knew the answer.

"Well…" Harry began, and Draco stuck out his hand, which he had been hiding under the table so far, making the ring visible for everyone.

"Guys! That's brilliant!" Hermione squealed, as she kissed Draco on the cheek and hugged him tightly, tears welling up in her eyes.

It was Sirius' turn to congratulate the couple next. "I told you, you two should get married, didn't I? I'm glad to see that you finally took my advice about something. Just don't go making me a Grand-God-Father too soon!"

This statement earned a sniffle and a sigh from Ginny, "Sorry, Ginny," Sirius apologized.

Ginny just dismissed it with a wave off her hand, "Don't worry about it, Sirius."

Ginny had married as soon as she left Hogwarts, two months after finding out she was pregnant, to her boyfriend who was a year older. They had met up during the Easter holiday, as this was the only time during the school year they could see each other. When she had the twins, Adam and Benjamin, Neville Longbottom left her and ran off with a witch who was three years younger than him. 

She was devastated and never quite got over it. Although, she found that burning the belongings he left behind to ashes, and then owling him these ashes, helped the healing process. She then moved back in to the burrow to be close to her parents if she ever needed them to look after the twins, which she often did, especially when she got called into work unexpectedly, as she worked for the Ministry of Magic now.

*****

Harry and Draco decided to get married before the school term started, which was when they started their work experiences, and Draco said he wanted people to call him Professor Potter instead of Professor Malfoy, when they actually taught classes themselves. 

So they agreed that the date should be August 31st, which was only six weeks away. So they had a lot of work to do and needed any help there was.

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Sirius and Christina were all sat around Harry's dining room table helping write out wedding invitations. Suddenly Sirius spoke up, "Harry? Draco? I know this is your wedding, but would you mind if I invited a guest of my own, and his wife and so- daughter?"

Harry and Draco looked at each other. Draco nodded, "Of course you can. Who'd you have in mind?" Harry asked, handing Sirius an invite and envelope.

"Erm, I'm not going to tell you. I want it to be a surprise," he said, scribbling down something on the back of the invite. "Hermione? Would you do me a favour?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Will you apparate to The Leaky Cauldron with me?" he asked pleadingly. 

Hermione studied the look on his face and suddenly understood. She nodded, "We won't be two minutes, guys," she reassured everyone, and disappeared with a small 'pop'. Sirius waved bye to everyone, and also disappeared with a 'pop', leaving a room full of confused faces behind him.

******

Seconds later Sirius reappeared next to Hermione.

"Have you any Muggle money on you?" was the first thing he said to her.

"Some," she replied. "I can't believe I'm doing this! If Harry finds out he'll kill us. You do realize that, don't you? He'll kill us quicker than you can say, Avada Kedavra!" she said with a sigh, as they walked through the door, and out into the crowded Muggle street.

"Yeah, I know," Sirius, replied. "But, he's not going to find out, at least not just yet anyway," he added. "And when he does, it will be too late, anyway."

They arrived in the Muggle post office, and Hermione bought a first class stamp from the cashier as Sirius wrote the address on the front of the envelope.

She looked around, to make sure nobody was watching them, and quickly affixed the stamp magically.

On the way out Sirius slipped the envelope marked....

_Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Dursley_

_4 Privet Drive_

_Little Whinging_

_Surrey_

In to the post box.

*****


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: See Chapter One.

Authors Notes: The wedding ceremony is called 'Handfasting'. It binds two souls together. (At least I think it does, sorry if that's wrong. But in this story that's what it means). It is borrowed from **Charmed, **Season 3, episode 59, which is Piper and Leo's wedding.

Of Love and Promises

Chapter Two

_Wiltshire, England – August 31st 2001_

The weeks following Harry's proposal, and leading up to the big day itself, were filled with short tempers, lots of regretted words and even more apologies. But somehow they managed to make it to August 31st, without anything major going wrong.

"What was I thinking?" Draco exclaimed, as he paced the room he was using to get ready in. "I can't do this. I'm too nervous."

"Draco? Come here," Hermione ordered, softly patting the space on the sofa next to her.

Draco gave up pacing and followed her instructions.

"Will you relax, already? You'll be fine. Just remember everything we went through, and there'll be no problems," she reassured him, gently stroking his hair, which was hanging in curtains around his eyes.

Draco sighed and looked at Hermione, "You're right. As usual."

"Of course I am! Now hurry up, and get dressed, the ceremony is starting in fifteen minutes."

*****

Harry stood at the altar, waiting for the ceremony to begin and admiring the room. The ceremony was being held in one of the ballrooms at Malfoy Manor, as Narcissa had graciously offered them the use of the house. 

Suddenly the grand piano magically started to play, although not the traditional wedding march, after all two men getting married, is hardly traditional, even in the Wizarding world. 

Everyone in the room fell silent and turned their heads towards the doors at the back of the room as they began to open. Ginny walked down the aisle escorted by Sirius, and were followed by Christina and Ron.

When Christina and Ron reached the front, the guests all stood up as a very elegant looking Hermione escorted Draco down the aisle. 

Harry couldn't help thinking how beautiful his fiancé looked in the white tux and silver tie. They were wearing suits that were almost identical except Harry's was black with a silver tie. 

_It's pretty ironic that he wearing white, and I'm the one in black actually, _Harry thought, his eyes never leaving Draco. 

Sometimes, Harry still found it unbelievable that you could read someone completely wrong. During most of their years at Hogwarts, Harry and Draco were bitter enemies. Draco came from a dark and magically powerful family, and Harry was from a family on the good side, the light. They were supposed to hate each other and be on opposite sides of the battle. But, now, here they were getting married and bridging the gap between the light and dark sides.

When they reached Harry, Hermione let go of Draco's arm and gave Harry a smile before joining Christina and Ginny.

Harry held out his hand to Draco and they both turned to face the priest. 

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of these two souls. Harry and Draco, do you join us here of your own free will, to acknowledge the eternal bond shared by both of you?"

"I do," they both said.

"Harry, you may recite your vows."

"Draco, through all the tears and struggles I always knew in my heart that we'd make it here. I love you, and I promise to keep on loving you in this life, the next and whatever comes after that. Not just as your husband, but as your friend, and your lover. I will never leave you, Draco, you're my soul mate," slipping another silver band on to Draco's ring finger.

"Draco, you may recite your vows."

"Harry, I remember sitting in my room late at night, when I was a kid. I used to find any book I could about the defeat of the Dark Lord and The-Boy-Who-Lived. I always thought it impossible, that he would love or even be interested in a guy like me, but here we are, after everything we've been through over the past ten years. Harry, I was born to love you."

"Here, before witness', Harry and Draco have sworn their vows to each other," he wrapped a rope around their joined hands. "With this cord I bind them to those vows."

"Heart to thee, body to thee, always and forever. So would it be," Harry and Draco said in unison.

"So would it be," Ginny, Hermione, Christina, Sirius, and Ron repeated.

"So would it be," Echoed the priest. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you, Mr. Harry and Draco Potter!" The Priest said, as the piano began to play and Harry walked down the aisle arm in arm with his new husband.

*****

"Draco! Come on. We're going to be late!" Harry yelled through the closed door of their en suite bathroom.

They had been married for two hours, and Draco had spent over half an hour of that time doing his hair and getting ready for their reception.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Draco yelled back.

Five minutes later, Harry was lying on his back looking up at the ceiling, when Draco stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in black trousers and a black shirt with Chinese writing on. "What'd you think?" he asked, twirling around, so Harry could see him from all angles.

"I think, you look so sexy," Harry said getting up off the bed, walking over to where Draco was stood, and planting an affectionate kiss on his cheek. "Now can we please go?"

"Fine," Draco sighed. "If you insist."

******

The second ballroom was decorated even more elegant than the first. There were gold and silver streamers hanging from the roof, and floating around there were gold and silver balloons, and chasing these balloons were Adam and Benjamin. At the front of the room, there was kind of a Muggle disco except it was powered by magic. There was even a bar at the back of the room.

Hermione was walking from the bar to the table where Sirius, Christina, Ginny, Ron, Harry, Draco and herself were sitting, and she walked past three people who looked very familiar to her.

She backtracked and paused in front of the table.

The man, who was sat there, looked up at her and smirked nervously.

"Erm, hello," she said politely. "I'm Hermione Granger."

"Vernon Dursley," he replied shaking her hand.

"D - D - Dursley?" she stammered. "Get here you!" she said to Sirius, who walking past at that very moment, grabbing hold of his shirt.

"Hermione!" he exclaimed, straightening his shirt. "What is it?"

"This is Vernon. Vernon _Dursley_."

"Dursley?" Sirius echoed, and Hermione nodded. "Erm, Hermione? Could you go get Harry, for me? I think he's by the bar."

Two minutes later Hermione reappeared, with a very confused Harry, who stopped dead in his tracks when he saw his Aunt, Uncle and Cousin. "What are _they** doing here?"**_

"Your Godfather invited us, Cousin!" Dudley replied, the hatred in his voice, only matched by the hatred in his cousin's eyes.

"You did WHAT?" Harry asked, rounding on Sirius.

Sirius backed away slightly. "Vernon, did you do what I instructed you?"

Vernon nodded and handed him the invitation.

"Here, read this," Sirius said handing the card to Harry.

_Mr. S. Black invites Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Dursley (And son), to attend the wedding of H.J. Potter and D.L. Malfoy, on August 31st at 12pm.___

"So?" Harry asked, but then he noticed a tiny arrow in the bottom right hand corner, indicating that he should turn over.

On the back there was more writing, which Harry now read out loud.

_Dear Vernon, Petunia and Dudley,___

_My name is Sirius Black. You may remember me. I've been on the television quite a few times. _

_Do you remember the summer, eight years ago? When a convicted murderer escaped from jail? Well I'm that murderer… well, I was. My name has now cleared. And I am inviting you to attend your nephew's wedding. I expect to see you there. _

_You may be wondering how I got your address or why I'm even inviting you. Well, there are a lot of things I know about you, such as, where you live and work. But I also know how you treated my godson for 16 years of his life. _

_As to why I am inviting you. I don't really know why. But what I do know, is that I want you there, so you can see for yourselves, that despite how you mistreated Harry, before he started 'proper' school, and during the summer holidays, you couldn't have stopped him being happy and finding true love. _

_So until the wedding, I bid you goodbye. _

_And one more thing I suggest that you bring this invite with you, if you don't… well, lets just say you'll find out how different Wizards handle things, compared to you Muggles.___

_Yours truly,___

_Sirius Black___

Harry was speechless as he finished reading. When he finally found his voice he said, "You invited them here to show them they couldn't stop all this even though they tried their best?" he asked sounding stunned. Sirius nodded. "I should hate you right now, but thank you, anyway," he added.

"My pleasure," Sirius replied, smiling.

"So anyway where is the unlucky -," Sirius glared, "- I'm mean lucky girl, anyway?"

"Well – Wait, Girl?"

"Yeah?" Petunia replied looking confused.

"How far back were you sitting?" Hermione asked.

"My guess is," Sirius said, before the Dursleys could answer, "Far back enough that they couldn't see, or hear, what was going on, but close enough to be in the room."

Dudley nodded.

"Erm, Hermione? Can you go and find Draco for me, please?" Harry asked.

"Sure," she replied, before going over to where Draco was stood talking to Snape.

Two minutes later and she returned with him.

"Yeah, Harry?" he said, walking up behind Harry, and slipping his hand under Harry's arm and across his chest.

"Draco, this is Vernon, Petunia and Dudley. Dursley," Harry introduced, pointing to each of them in turn.

"Dursley?" Draco repeated unconvinced. "As in, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon?" Harry nodded.

"Vernon, Petunia, Dudley, this is Draco. My **Husband**."

The look of disbelief on their faces was so funny, from Harry's point of view. They had obviously never, ever, thought that their nephew was gay.

*****

On the September 1st, a small creature with bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls, a house-elf, awoke Harry and Draco. 

"Binky!" Draco exclaimed, as he sleepily rubbed his eyes. "What are you doing? What time is it?"

"My apologies, Master Draco, but your mother sent me, to wake up you and Master Harry. You must be getting up, or you will be missing the Hogwarts express."

"Fine. We're up," Harry said as he reached out for his glasses.

The house-elf bowed low and retreated out of the room, not once turning its back on Harry and Draco.

*****

_Kings Cross-Station, London, England – September 1st 2001_

As they walked down the platform at Kings Cross towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten, Draco said, "It's feels really weird to be walking down here again, after all this time."

"Tell me about it," Harry said as they slipped through the barrier, and onto platform nine and three-quarters. "I can still remember the first train journey up to Hogwarts."

"I think I remember that one too," he replied, climbing into the carriage after Harry. "All down the train people were saying that the famous Harry Potter was on board, so I just had to come and see for myself."

"Yeah. You came into the compartment, and Goyle reached for the chocolate frogs and Ron's rat, Scabbers, bit him. That was funny."

Just then Hermione and Ron joined them.

*****

Hogsmeade Station, Scotland 

Hours later the Hogwarts Express arrived at Hogsmeade station, and Harry, Hermione, Ron and Draco emerged the compartment and made their way to the carriages, that they hadn't ridden in since their last journey down from the castle back to the train station, at the end of their seventh year.

They sat in silence as the carriage made its way up the hill that Hogwarts was on top of. Harry was the first to get out and he had helped everyone out, before they heard a voice calling, "Potter, Granger and Weasley"

All four of them spun around and saw Professor McGonagall making her way through the second year upwards students towards them.

"Hello, Professor McGonagall," Hermione said, as their ex-transfiguration Professor reached them.

"Come now, Hermione. You're all grown up and no longer students. Call me Minerva." 

"Erm, okay, Minerva," she said, testing the name, which sounded strange coming from her.

"When you four get to the Great Hall, you will find, that there are places set up already for you. I myself must go meet Hagrid with the first years," she told them, before she disappeared into the crowd.

******

Hogwarts, Scotland 

When the welcome back feast finished, the four of them made their way to Professor Dumbledore's office, following Minerva. 

When they reached his office they found, not only Dumbledore there, but there also Professor Flitwick, Professor Snape, Professor Lupin and Hagrid.

"What is this? A mother's meeting?" Draco remarked sarcastically, shutting the door behind them.

"Hardly, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said. "Congratulations, by the way," he added.  "I'm sorry that I couldn't make it.

"You may be wondering why we have decided to run work experience programs this year. At the end of the year Professor's Snape, Flitwick, Lupin and Hagrid will be retiring."

"What?" all four asked at once.

"At the end of the year -," Dumbledore began to repeat, but Snape cut him off. 

"I think they heard you the first time, Albus."

"Yes, I know that, thank you, Severus. "

"Why are you all retiring?" Harry asked, shocked.

"Well, Potter," Snape, said. "You don't honestly expect us to stay here forever, do you?" he asked, with a sardonic smile.

"Any way," Professor Dumbledore said, trying to avoid an argument that was rapidly brewing between these two. "What I am saying, is that next year we will be short of Potions, Defense Against The Dark Arts, Care Of Magical Creatures and Charms Professors. And we all wrote to your respectable Professors at T.T.F., and asked them to send the best students they had. And, looking around at you, I see that is what they have done. When we start school next year, I would like for you to be looking forward to teaching classes here, that is if you want to. It is entirely your choice, although, I will be deeply disappointed if none of you do."

******


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: See Chapter one

Of Love and Promises

Chapter Three

Hogwarts, Scotland, England - 2016 

A 36-year-old Draco Potter, sat on the window seat of his and Harry's room, overlooking the Quidditch pitch that he had flown on so many times when he was younger.

Outside, flying high above the pitch, fourteen-year-old, Phoebe Potter looked up, saw him looking at her, and waved.

He waved back, and smiled, as she showed off her Quidditch skills. 

A door opening behind him made him jump, and he looked up to see his husband of fifteen years, coming in to the room.

"What you doing?" he asked, approaching Draco who pointed out of the window and replied, "Quidditch Practice," just as Phoebe caught the snitch. "She may look like me, but she definitely has your talent, when it comes to Quidditch."

It's true Phoebe did have Draco's looks. With her silvery blonde hair and gray-blue eyes. Unfortunately she had also inherited Harry's poor eyesight along with his keen instincts and skill. 

"I like to think -," Harry began, squeezing onto the window seat next to Draco and wrapping his arm around his shoulders, trying to avoid falling back off of the seat. "She has my Quidditch skills, and your flying skills. You always were a better flyer than I was. That was one of the things about you that I fell in love with. And if you put them together, you've got a perfect but lethal combination."

"Yeah," Draco replied, resting his head on Harry's shoulder. "Anyone playing Slytherin had better watch out."

"Look," Harry suddenly said, pointing out of the window towards the forest, where two twelve year olds were, obviously trying to sneak into the forest without getting caught. Again.

"Not again," Draco muttered, as he stood up and straightened his robes. "I suppose I'd better get down there. I swear that boy gets more and more like you, every day," he said with a sigh.

"I wasn't that bad. Besides you were just as bad and you know it," Harry retorted. Draco just shook his head and disappeared with a pop. Minerva McGonagall, the new Headmistress, had altered the no apparition rule on the school slightly, allowing teachers to apparate on and around the actual school grounds, although no outsider was allowed to apparate in.

 ******

"Good afternoon," a smooth, silky voice suddenly said, from behind them.

"Damn. It's Dad!" the paler of the two whispered. They both turned around, to find themselves face to face with their Potions Professor and head of Slytherin house. Not exactly the best person to cross.

"Dad- I mean, Professor Potter. Nice to see you," Alex Potter said, hoping he sounded more innocent than he felt and looked.

"And, what do you two think you're doing around here?" 

"Well, we - we -we were just -," Jordan Weasley stammered, obviously trying to think of a plausible excuse.

"Just trying to sneak into the forest, Mr. Weasley," Draco interrupted. "Yes, Yes, I know what you were doing. Well, let's see. Since you didn't actually go in there, I can't give you detention. So that won't work." Alex breathed a sigh of relief. "But I can, however, take ten points from Gryffindor and Slytherin house. Now run along, I expect you have some homework, or something else, you haven't done to occupy your time with."

The boys started to walk away, back up to the castle.

"Why didn't you say something to him?" Jordan asked quietly, but loud enough for Draco to hear.

"Like what?" Alex replied sarcastically, he also inherited Draco's bored drawl along with his looks, and Harry's ability to sneak around the school, usually getting caught in the process.

"I don't know. You could have thought of something. He's your dad. -," Jordan retorted, just before they went out of earshot.

Chuckling to himself Draco apparated back up to his room.

******

It was about six in the morning, and the sunlight pouring in through the window woke Harry up.

He sat up in the huge four-poster bed, yawned and stretched, just as an excited seven-year-old came bounding noisily into the bedroom. "Daddy!" he cried, as he jumped onto the bed, and straight into Harry's arms.

"Hi, Andy!" Harry said, as he kissed his sons hair, which was jet black, just like his.

Draco stirred in his sleep and turned over so he was lying on his back, but he didn't wake up.

"Daddy's lazy, isn't he?"

"Yeah, he is. He's a big lazy lump," Harry paused and thought for a moment. "Give me your hand," he instructed.

"Why?" Andrew asked, looking at Harry suspiciously.

"Because I want to show you something."

Reluctantly he put his hand in Harry's, and Harry carefully, so he didn't wake him up, laid it flat on Draco stomach just above the waistband of his pajamas. 

"Can you feel that?" Andrew nodded without saying a word. "That's your little brother or sister," Harry told him.

Andrew took his hand off of Draco's stomach, and looked at Harry as if he had gone mad. "What? My brother or sister is in there?" Harry nodded. "How did it get in there?" he asked curiously.

Harry almost groaned, he should have known that question would come eventually, "Daddy drunk a special potion," he explained. "And, it put the baby in there," he added.

"Really?" Andrew asked, his eyes widening. Harry nodded again and chuckled as Andrew leant forward, and said "Hi," to Draco's stomach, obviously talking to the baby inside.

Harry pulled Andrew away from Draco, and said, "Shush. You'll wake Daddy up."

"Yeah! Shush. You'll wake daddy up," a voice said sleepily.

Draco sat up and yawned, "What time is it?"

"6:15," Harry replied, looking at the clock on the bedside table.

"6:15?" Draco repeated. "I'm going back to sleep-," he paused as his eyes fell on his son, who was sat on Harry's knee, listening intently to his parents' conversation, not saying anything.

"What, don't I get a good morning hug as well?"

"Morning, Daddy!" Andrew exclaimed throwing his arms around Draco's neck.

"That's more like it. Good morning, Andy."

At that moment there was a soft knock on the bedroom door, and Ginny's head appeared a second later, "There you are! Hi, guys. Come on, Andy, we're going to the fair."

"Yay, the fair!!!" Andrew yelled, jumping up and down on the bed.

"Calm down," Draco said, trying to pull his already very excited son back down, so he could give him a kiss, before Ginny took him to the Muggle fair in the nearest village. "Now listen, Andy. I want you to be good for Aunt Ginny. Can you do that for me?"

"Of course I can, Daddy."

"Come on, Andy, we'll miss the train," Ginny said.

"Okay, bye daddy!" Andrew yelled, as he followed Ginny out of the room.

****

The Potters' residence, Reading, England - 2031 

"Dad? Where are you?" twenty-nine-year-old, Phoebe's voice floated up through the empty house, breaking the silence that had settled upon it.

Draco didn't answer her; he couldn't find his voice.

"Dad?" the voice came again, this time it was closer to him. "There you are," she said softly, pausing in the doorway to the attic. "What are you doing up here?"

Draco didn't answer her again, he couldn't. Instead, he just lifted up the book he was looking at. Silent tears flowing down his cheeks.

"What's that?" she asked curiously, crossing the room and crouching down next to Draco.

"It was your father's diary. From his sixth year at school."

"Can I look?" she asked, cautiously. She didn't want to invade her Dad's privacy's, unless it was okay with Draco. Draco just nodded and handed her the book.

She opened the book to a random page, careful not to tear the pages on the already delicate book, and began to read.

_23rd December 1998___

_Dear Diary, ___

_Most people use diaries to record things bad that happen in their lives and slag off people that they hate, but what can I say I love my life and the people around me, well maybe not Snape. _

_I even love Draco. I hate having to keep a secret inside me, that I know I can never share with anyone, but I have to keep this one hidden. If the Wizarding world found knew the famous Harry Potter was gay, I don't know what everyone would do. So for now what they don't know can't hurt them. _

_I wish that there were someway of telling him how I feel about him, without him actually remembering afterwards, but I know this is an impossible wish and it can never come true. Although a memory charm might work - no I don't think I could bring myself do that to him, even if I could pluck up the courage to tell him. _

_Every time I go to sleep late at night the same dream haunts me. Him and me in twenty-five years time, married and living happily ever after, like a fairytale, with four kids._

_What's really sad is that, I've even written out vows for my imaginary wedding to him;_

_"Draco, through all the tears and struggles, I always knew in my heart that we'd make it here. I love you, and I promise to keep on loving you in this life, the next and whatever comes after that. Not just as your husband, but as your friend, and your lover. I will never leave you, Draco. You're my soul mate."  
But like it's ever going to happen, all he does is fight with me and insult my friends. He never has one nice thing to say about me. And I think he's jealous, because he's never beaten me in a Quidditch match, (touchwood), besides, fairy tales don't exist anywhere other than in people's imaginations….___

Phoebe didn't feel like she could go on reading, she closed the book and put it back in Harry's old school trunk.

"Did you read the part about where he wrote down the wedding vows?" she nodded mutely. "He said those exact words to me. And he never kept his promise," Draco said, breaking down and crying uncontrollably in on his daughter's shoulders.

"Shush, Dad. It's going to be okay. At least, he's with Grandma, Granddad, and Uncle Sirius, now," she whispered, trying to make him feel better. And it appeared to work a little bit, too.

"Yeah, I know. I just don't understand it," Draco whispered back.

"Dad, how can we ever understand it? We lost him. Do you remember when I was little, when I made you watch all those Disney Muggle movies?" she asked. Draco nodded. Well, the one I remember most is the Lion King. When Simba's dad died, he couldn't handle it, but then he remembered something his Dad told him. The ones we love never truly leave us, but they watch over us every day and every night. And, if you listen really closely, you can hear their voice in the wind, reminding us that they are always there. So he will always keep his promise to you, Dad." 

Draco said nothing for a moment and then said, "I just don't know how to go on without him. For the first six years at Hogwarts, we hated each other and then ever since I've been with him. And I can't remember what life was like without him. I just want him back," he said, crying into Phoebe's shoulder again.

"I guess you just have to take it one step at a time. And always remember, in your heart, that we'll see him again one day. Come on," she said softly, getting up off the floor, and pulling Draco up. "You need to get something to eat."

*****

She pulled him down the stairs, through the house, to the kitchen. 

The house was deadly silent, just like it had been, ever since Harry had fallen victim to the Avada Kedavra curse cast by one of the only remaining Death Eater's, who was out for revenge against the person who finally defeated his master, even though it had been over twenty years ago. Harry had been out late one dark night, getting some groceries from the supermarket on the corner of the street, when he was attacked, no one was around to help him, so he didn't stand a chance against the Death Eater. 

When Draco had found out about what happened, he turned in to a nervous wreak and refused to leave the house for days, he only left to attend Harry's funeral. And to bury him, right next to his parents.

Sat at the kitchen table was his 15-year-old daughter, Hannah. She looked up from the cup of coffee she was drinking, when he walked into the room. "Hi, Dad."

"Hi, sweetie," he replied, forcing a smile on to his face.

When Harry had died, Phoebe, Alex and Andrew, had moved back in with Draco. They felt it wasn't really fair to leave him all alone at a time like this. And Hannah couldn't take care of Draco on her own, either. 

Sometimes, Draco found it hard to be in the same room as Hannah, because, even though she had Draco's hair, she had Harry's emerald green eyes, and looking in them just depressed him even more. 

It was even harder to be in the same room as Andrew, as he was a spitting image of Harry. When he was younger, he had been small and skinny, just like Harry was and now, he was twenty-two, he had matured in to an exact replica of Harry, minus the scar and glasses.

*****

That night Draco was lying awake alone in bed, unable to couldn't sleep, he just kept thinking of Harry. He got up, and silently walked over to the doors that lead out onto his balcony, he opened them and stepped out into the cool night air. 

He stood there alone looking up at the stars, the tearing starting to fall again. Suddenly, there was a big gust of wind, and Draco could have sworn he heard a voice that sounded just like Harry's. He thought this was impossible, but then he remembered what Phoebe had said; _if you listen really closely you can hear their voice in the wind reminding us that they are always there_.

"Harry?" Draco whispered into the night. "Harry, I'm not sure if you can here me up there, but if you can, I want you to here this. I don't know how to go on living without you. What about the kids? What about Hannah? She's only fifteen; she needs you. I need you. 

I read your diary, Harry. The one where you wrote down the vows from the wedding, and you said that you'd never leave me. How could you break your promise, Harry?" Draco stopped talking to sky, and turned around, starting to walk back into the house, tears streaming down his face, when he heard it again, "Draco."

Draco turned around and looked into the night sky but there was nothing there, he was about to walk back, when he happened to glance down into the garden, and, there, stood by the apple tree that they had planted together, was a figure that was unmistakably Harry. "Harry?" Draco whispered again. The figure in the garden nodded and smiled. "But how? You're - you're -" he couldn't get the words out, he felt like there was a still a chance he would wake up tomorrow, next to Harry, after a particularly bad nightmare. 

"Draco, baby. I'm dead. You know it," his voice was just above a whisper, but Draco caught every word of it. "It was my time to go, I need you to stay here, and be strong for me. I want you to look after the kids, and make sure they have the best life that they can possibly have. I know, it's going to be tough on you, but it want you to remember that I love you, and I always will. Live your life, Draco, I'll be waiting for you," Harry's ghost blew him a final kiss, before disappearing.

Draco sat there on the balcony crying for hours until he fell asleep out there.

*****

The End!


End file.
